U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Wind Program

Minnesota Enacts the Country's Strongest Renewable Requirement

February 28, 2007

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty signed a bill into law on February 22nd that
sets a requirement for the state's utilities to draw on renewable
energy for 25 percent of the power needs by 2025. The law sets an even
tougher standard for Xcel Energy, which provides half of the state's
power, requiring the utility to employ renewable energy for 30 percent
of its power supply by 2020. According to Governor Pawlenty, the new
bill will add an additional 5,000 megawatts of renewable power, which
is roughly eight times the state's current renewable power capacity.
See the governor's
press release.

The bill, Senate File 4, allows for renewable power generation from
biomass, small hydropower, and solar and wind power, or from hydrogen
generated from renewable energy sources. For most of the state's
utilities, it starts with a 7 percent renewable requirement in 2010,
then requires 12 percent renewable power in 2012 and ratchets higher
every four years through 2025, when it reaches 25 percent. For any
utility that owns a nuclear plant—that would be Xcel Energy—the
renewable requirement starts at 15 percent in 2010 and increases to
30 percent by 2020. The bill also requires utilities to study and
develop plans for transmission system enhancements needed to meet the
new requirements. See the
full text of the bill.